HelloFresh under investigation over alleged subscription issues

A HelloFresh's Christmas box offering. The company is under investigation over potential breaches of the Fair Trading Act. Photo / Supplied

Meal-kit service HelloFresh is facing a Commerce Commission investigation after complaints.

Kirsten Mannix, ComCom fair trading general manager, said potential breaches of the Fair Trading Act were being investigated.

“In the past 12 months, the commission has received 104 inquiries about HelloFresh about a range of alleged issues across subscriptions, promotions, customer service, pricing, quality and refunds.

“Eighty-two inquiries specifically relate to subscriptions,” Mannix said this morning.

She said the Fair Trading Act prohibited false and misleading representations and a range of other unfair business practices.

“Our investigations can result in a range of outcomes including issuing information or compliance advice, formal warnings or court action.”

The maximum penalty for breaches of the act was $200,000 for an individual and $600,000 for a business.

Mannix said the commission generally did not take action on behalf of individual consumers.

Consumers with trouble resolving individual disputes should contact a Citizens Advice Bureau or a local Community Law Centre, she said.

HelloFresh, a Berlin-based company, said it had not been provided with all details of the complaints.

“We have been in contact with the Commerce Commission but haven’t been provided with details of individual complaints,” the company said in a statement on Friday night.

“Our customers are at the centre of everything we do and we are constantly working on improving our service. We are co-operating with the Commerce Commission on this investigation in complete transparency.”

In March, HelloFresh said it would stop its staff from contacting people in cyclone-affected areas after complaints from some Hawke’s Bay residents about aggressive marketing.